Northern Lights are quiet tonight. Try tomorrow? Explore tours
Our team explores Sólheimajökull glacier every season in search of new ice caves— and in 2025, nature rewarded us with one of the most stunning ones. Just 2.5 hours from Reykjavík, a brand-new blue ice cave has opened, glowing with shades of sapphire and glassy ice walls.
To reach it, you’ll hike across the glacier’s dramatic surface with an expert guide, then step inside a hidden cavern where centuries of frozen history shine in surreal light. It’s the closest glacier cave to the capital, just discovered in September 2025, and one you won’t want to miss.
Join us to see the new Azure Ice Cave!
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Your adventure starts at the Sólheimajökull glacier parking lot, just off the South Coast and an easy drive from Reykjavík. Look out for your Arctic Adventures guide waiting by our marked meeting point at the lot—you’ll recognize us with the glacier gear and big smiles! From here, we’ll gear up together and get ready to step onto the ice.
The hike begins right from the glacier’s edge, leading you across a frozen landscape of ridges, crevasses, and sparkling ice formations. As we make our way, your guide will share stories of how the glacier is always changing, carving out new features with every season.
The highlight is reaching a newly discovered Azure Ice Cave. When our guides first visited this cave in September 2025, even they were amazed by its size and glowing blues. Stepping inside feels surreal—arched walls glowing in shades of aquamarine, textures smooth as glass, and the kind of natural beauty you’ll want your camera ready for. You’ll have time to pause, take photos, and simply enjoy the magic.
After time to explore and take it all in, we’ll hike back across the glacier together, returning safely to the parking lot where the tour began.
This once-in-a-lifetime memory is just a drive away!
Your adventure starts at the Sólheimajökull Glacier Parking Lot, about 164 km (101 mi) from Reykjavík. The drive takes around 2.5 hours in good conditions. Please plan extra time in case of weather or road delays.
When you arrive, look for Arctic Adventures guides with glacier gear at the meeting area.
Meeting point: Sólheimajökull Glacier Parking Lot.
GPS coordinates: 63°31'47.4"N 19°22'11.7"W
Appropriate apparel: Keep in mind you’ll spend several hours on the ice. Please bring warm outdoor clothing, a waterproof jacket, pants, gloves, hat, and sturdy hiking boots. Water-resistant gear and boots can also be rented from us when booking your tour.
Crampon size: Special glacier crampons for shoe sizes below 35 EU are not available, as they cannot be securely attached to smaller footwear.
Yes, there is a small fee for parking at the Sólheimajökull Glacier parking lot. The fee for a standard family car is 750 ISK (about USD 5.50 / EUR 5) plus a small transaction fee. There’s no entrance fee to the glacier itself—only parking. Payment is simple and can be made on-site or online in the Parka app.
Sólheimajökull Glacier is located about 164 km (101 mi) southeast of Reykjavík, roughly a 2.5-hour drive in good conditions. It’s one of the closest glaciers to the capital. The route takes you along Iceland’s famous South Coast. We recommend allowing extra travel time in case of weather or road delays so you can enjoy a relaxed journey before your glacier adventure begins.
‘Meet on location’ means you’ll make your own way to the tour starting point—usually a booking center or parking area near the site—rather than being picked up from Reykjavík or another town. It’s a great option if you’re self-driving or already staying nearby.
Exact meeting points, directions, and check-in times are listed in your booking confirmation and on the tour page. If you’re unsure where to go, you can always check the tour details or contact us directly.
Icelandic weather can be unpredictable, so it’s best to dress in layers:
Yes, we recommend a small backpack for this tour. It’s useful for carrying water, snacks, and an extra layer of clothes so you stay comfortable during the glacier walk.
Yes—you can definitely bring your camera. The views on the glacier are unforgettable, and you’ll want to capture them. Just make sure it’s secure and protected from the weather.
This is, of course, a personal choice, we have often had pregnant women on our trips. We recommend you take a close look at our trip description and difficulty rating, they will hopefully give you a better idea. It is also good to contact your physician, pregnant women’s health can be quite different. Feel free to contact us if you have further questions or concerns.
Yes, you should bring food and drinks with you, as we don’t provide meals on this tour. Since you’ll be out on the ice for about 4 hours, we recommend bringing some light snacks and a bottle of water.
Crampons are metal spikes that attach to the soles of your hiking boots, providing a secure grip on icy surfaces to prevent slipping. On all our glacier tours where you'll be walking on ice, we provide specialized glacier crampons—sturdier and designed for tougher conditions than regular ice spikes. Your guide will help you put crampons on properly before stepping onto the glacier, and they will be returned after the tour. You can learn more about crampons in this guide.
Yes, there is a specially trained and certified glacier guide on every glacier tour that we offer.
When glacier hiking you will be provided with an ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet. This will help you to complete the tour safely. The minimum shoe size to attach crampons is EU 35.
Rain is not uncommon in Iceland. However, we do not let the rain stop our tours. This is why having appropriate clothing is very important to keep you warm and dry. Nature is not something that we can control and therefore we need to adapt to the weather. However, if conditions make the tour unsafe for any reason, we’ll cancel it, and you’ll receive a full refund.
